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The WTO TRIPS Agreement and Conflict-of-Laws Rules in Intellectual Property Cases
By Marketa Trimble, Samuel S. Lionel Professor of Intellectual Property Law, Co-Director of the IP Law Concentration, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
It is neither new nor surprising that international treaties affect the design and application of conflict-of-laws rules; not only international conventions on private international law but also other international treaties shape conflicts rules, with human rights treaties being the primary example. But a recent decision concerning the interpretation of the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS Agreement”) could have profound and arguably unprecedented effects on the conflict rules that are applied in intellectual property (“IP”) cases, such as cross-border cases concerning copyright infringement, trademark ownership, and patent licenses.
Kairos Shipping II LLC (appellant) v Songa Product and Chemical Tankers III AS (respondent), The interpretation of natural language on charter contracts
Written by Nicolás Preus Miranda, student at Universidad Carlos III in Getafe, Spain, specializing in maritime, international law and international commercial arbitration
The decision in Kairos Shipping II LLC v Songa Product and Chemical Tankers III AS [2025] EWCA Civ 1227 represents a pivotal clarification in the interpretation of repossession clauses within standard-form bareboat charterparties, particularly under the BIMCO Barecon 2001 framework. Arising from a dispute over the early termination of a charter for a 49,708 DeadWeight Tonnage (DWT) chemical/oil tanker, the case underscores the English courts’ commitment to contextual and purposive contract interpretation, balancing textual fidelity with commercial practicality. This analysis expands on the case’s significance, the interpretive principles it embodies, and its ultimate resolution, drawing from judicial reasoning and industry commentary.[1] Read more
Digital Governance, Regimes Theory and Private International Law. A tech diplomacy perspective
By Juliano Alves Pinto, Brazilian tech diplomat; former Deputy Consul of Brazil in San Francisco (2013–2016); State Undersecretary of Science, Technology, and Innovation (2019–2021); HCCH expert on digital economy (2023–2024); and Government Affairs Director at the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) (2024–2025)
Could Private International Law be an answer to digital governance? Though this idea has already been debated among PIL scholars, it must be said that it has not yet broken the bubble of the PIL niche. Diplomats usually overlook PIL as a small part of the larger International Law realm, which embraces Public International Law as the standard bearer of the multilateral framework that has been established ever since the Westphalia Peace in 1648. Read more
News
Dark Spots of the European Succession Regulation: A Decade of Its Application
On 15 May 2026, the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra will host the conference “Dark Spots of the European Succession Regulation: A Decade of Its Application” (“Pontos Negros do Regulamento Europeu das Sucessões: Uma década da sua aplicação”).
The conference aims to discuss some of the most controversial, uncertain and unresolved issues arising from the first decade of application of the European Succession Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 650/2012). The programme brings together scholars and practitioners from different jurisdictions and legal traditions, combining presentations in Portuguese, Spanish and English.
The event will take place at the Legal Institute’s premises of the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra.
The full programme and further information are available here.
Call for Papers: 2nd Riga Private International Law Conference: ‘European Private International Law: An Era of Reforms’
The following call was kindly shared with us by Aleksandrs Fillers (Riga Graduate School of Law).
This year is marked by growing discussions about revisions of the core EU private international law documents. The 2nd edition of the Riga Private International Law Conference aims to reflect on the possible changes to be encouraged and those to be discouraged. This year the conference will mostly focus on three core ‘general’ EU private international law instruments: Brussels Ibis Regulation, Rome I and Rome II Regulations.
The conference is organized by the Riga Graduate School of Law and will be held online via Zoom on 22 June 2026. Please submit abstracts of no more than 300 words to associate professor Dr. Aleksandrs Fillers (aleksandrs.fillers@rgsl.edu.lv) by 1 June 2026. We will notify you about the acceptance of papers by 5 June 2026.
Selected articles will be published in the Baltic Yearbook of International Law (indexed in Scopus).
1st Issue of Journal of Private International Law for 2026
The first issue of the Journal of Private International Law for 2026 was published today. It contains the following articles: